Shelving structure with adjustable shelves



June 19, 1962 3,039,621

D. D. PILCHER SHELVING STRUCTURE WITH ADJUSTABLE SHELVES Filed Jan. 30, 1961 FIG. I

INVENT'OR DA W0 0- P/L. CHER 5y Ham,

AT TORNEYJ United States Patent Filed Jan. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 85,841 2 Claims. (Cl. 211147) The present invention relates to shelving and, more particularly, to shelving structures in which one or several wooden shelves are supported, adjustable as to height, by and between two side frames.

There are known shelving structures in which each side frame comprises two wooden posts joined by cross or bracing bars and having a number of lengthwise spaced transverse holes. The shelves are supported on the frames by inserting support pegs or pins in the holes of the posts at the desired height. In shelving structures of this kind sliding and slipping of the shelves are prevented and the entire shelving structure is braced by cutting out the shelves at the corners to form tongues protruding into longitudinal grooves in the posts and resting upon the pins traversing the grooves. Such shelving structures are shown, for instance, in Patent 2,577,138 issued December 4, 1951. Shelving structures of the above referred to design lock the shelves in and to the posts but they also weaken the shelves at the portions at which they are supported.

It is a broad object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved shelving structure of the general kind above referred to, which effectively prevents sliding and slipping of the shelves on the supports therefor and also additionally supports the shelves at the portions at which they are weakened, thus in effect, reinforcing the shelves at the critical portions.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved shelving structure, especially a wooden shelving structure in which the areas at which the shelves supported are considerably enlarged, thus compensating for the weakening of the shelves caused by the aforereferredto cut-outs at the corners of the shelves.

Another more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved shelving structure in which an effective locking and support of the shelves in and to the side frames are effected by a minimum of simple components which can be attached to and detached from the corner posts at any desired height without the use of tools and without requiring special skills on the part of the user assembling a shelving structure according to the invention.

The term wooden as sometimes used herein, is intended to include material other than wood but having similar properties, as distinguished from metal shelving such as shelving made of steel.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims forming part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled shelving structure according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective detail view of an additional or auxiliary shelf support according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a shelf supported according to the invention, and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the figures in detail, the shelving structure comprises two side frames, each formed by two "ice wooden posts 1, 4 and 2, 3, respectively. The two posts of each frame are suitably and fixedly joined by cross or bracing members, three bracing members 5, 6 and 7 being shown, and the two frames are joined by bracing members 20 and a fixedly secured top shelf 8a. The shelving structure further comprises any desired number of loose shelves 8.

As stated before, the principal object of the invention is to provide means for safely and conveniently supporting the loose shelves on the frame posts at any desired height. For this purpose each post has a lengthwise extending groove 10 of a suitable, preferably rectangular, cross section. The grooves of the two posts of each frame face each other. Each post is further formed with a number of lengthwise spaced transverse bores 11 so located that the bores traverse the two side flanges 2d and 2e of the posts formed by grooves 10. Shelves 8 are cut out at each corner to form tongues 8b. As can best be seen in FIG. 4, the configuration of each cut-out is such that when a shelf 3 is placed between the posts, each tongue 8b protrudes into the respective slot 10 and the side walls 2a, 2b and 2c of post 2 lie close against the corresponding side walls 8d, 82 and 8] respectively of the shelf defining the cut-outs thereof. What has been shown in FIG. 4 for post 2, applies, of course, to the other posts also.

The shelves are supported on the posts by inserting support pins or pegs 12 at the desired height. As is evident, the shelves are supported on the pins at tongues 8b. This leaves unsupported the shelf portion-s 8c protruding between posts 1, 2 and 3, 4, respectively. As a result, there is a danger that the shelf may break if a fairly heavy load is applied close to a rim of the shelf.

To avoid or at least to minimize such danger, the auxiliary or additional support member 25 of FIG. 2 is provided. This support member comprises a rigid wire structure bent to form in one plane a generally V-shaped structure which has a mounting arm '17 bent to form a bight portion 16 and a terminal portion 15, the latter being shorter than the main portion of arm 17. Arm 17 is continued by a mounting arm 13 which defines the V angle with arm 17. Arms 17 and .13 are included in a general plane substantially vertical of the plane including the aforedescribed arm 17 and arm portion 15. Ann 13 terminates in a bent-01f portion 19 which extends in the direction of arm portion 15 substantially parallel to the bight 16 though in a different plane.

The auxiliary support member is applied to the posts as shown in FIG. 3. According to this figure arm portion '19 is fitted in a bore 11 beneath the bore in which a support pin 12 is inserted. Arm 17 and arm portions 16 and 15 then embrace the respective Side wall portions of the posts thereby anchoring themselves. The portion 17a at the apex of the wire structure abuts against the respective shelf 8 near the outer edge 14 thereof, thereby reinforcing, in elfect, the shelf at the aforementioned critical parts 8c.

If desired, a reinforcing angle iron may be imbedded along the short side edges of the shelf as is shown in the aforementioned prior patent.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A wooden shelving structure comprising, in combination, a pair of side frames and at least one shelf, each of said side frames including a pair of corner posts, each of said posts having a longitudinal groove defining two side flanges and lengthwise spaced perforations traversing said side flanges, support pins inserted in selected perforations to traverse the respective grooves for supporting said shelf at a selected height, the grooves of the two posts of each frame facing each other, said shelf having at each corner a cut-out defining a tongue extending into the respective groove and supported therein by the respective pin, and an auxiliary support means for each post, each of said support means comprising a rigid, generally V-shaped, wire structure, one arm of said V- shaped structure constituting a mounting arm and terminating in a bent-off portion inserted in a perforation of the respective post beneath the respective support and the other arm constituting a support arm underlying a shelf portion protruding between two corresponding posts of the pair of side frames to support said protruding shelf portion, said support arm terminating in a portion bent oif in substantially the same direction as the bent-off portion of the mounting arm and protruding into the groove of the respective post to support further the shelf tongue extending into said groove, the support arm including the bent-off portion hugging side wall portion of the respective post thereby anchoring the wire structure to the post.

2. A shelf support structure according to claim 1 wherein said bent-off portion of the support arm is shorter than the remaining portion of said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

